How to Save a Life
by kehkanSKlover
Summary: You never forget your first caller. That's what they said as Seto Kaiba sat at his cubicle. The counseling hotline program was the only thing standing between him and his degree, but else can he learn when a caller needs more help than he can give? SKxOC
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. **

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Chapter 1

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"... Of course due to confidentiality, any callers who wish to remain anonymous can do so at their will. You should remember that, though you're looking to prove yourselves and trying to help as much as possible, these are free lines and there is no responsibility to the callers unless you feel they threaten others or themselves. Should you believe they require more professional help, or a specialist, feel free to ..." The head of the psychology department droned on as Kaiba tapped his pencil against the table.

He wasn't much a people person, but at twenty two with a business and computer science major already under his belt, he figured it couldn't hurt to tackle math and psychology. Having a further understanding of how the brain works and of human behaviors would help with business deals and targeting of customers. Possibly help him understand women as well, but that was not exactly at the forefront of his mind.

He didn't need the orientation to explain what the task ahead would be, it was a simple enough concept. In order to complete his psychology major, he would have to spend six months as a volunteer counselor. He would aid people who could not find professional help over the phone for free, learning the dos and don'ts of of how to deal with people in distress. It was more practical for people studying to be a psychiatrist or psychologist, but it was necessary for the course.

"The callers should already be aware that this is a student run program, but don't forget to remind them of it. Though most of them call for someone just to talk to or vent to, if the situation they're in proves serious and they require real help from licensed professionals, notify me or the supervisors of your section. You're there as a peer for comfort and advice, you're not a therapist." The man at the front finished.

The students nodded and rose, ready to take their spots in the small cramped cubicles. Kaiba wondered if he forced people to sit in such small limited spaces at Kaiba Corp and made a mental note to check into it. His studies in psychology gave him more insight as to how he had treated others, and though his outward actions didn't change much, he'd been feeling much more guilt every time he noticed himself playing out his habits of cruelty.

He squeezed himself into his stall where there was barely enough space for the computer and a phone. The computer recorded every conversation in text and audio file for the teachers of the program to go over for evaluation. Kaiba typed in his student ID and password, then opened the program that would record his calls, activating the phone in the process.

The head of the department, Sam, roamed the cubicles and watched as every student got situated.

"Soon, the phones will come online completely, but give them time. The technology is old and slow. I have to warn you though, you'll never forget your first call." He said with a smile before leaving the room to the supervisors care.

It wasn't long before the phones began to ring. Kaiba could hear the murmurs of a few students already answering and talking to their callers. Kaiba waited patiently for about fifteen more minutes before his first call came through.

"Free counseling hotline. We are student managed and run, is this alright?" Kaiba said, reading out the cue card left at every computer. It sounded horridly distant and cold for such a service, but it was how they had to answer. He waited a few moments, hearing nothing on the other line. "Hello?"

"..Y-yes, I'm sorry. Yes it's alright." It was a whisper. The voice was clear, but hushed, and clearly female. Great. His first caller couldn't have been a boy? At least he would know he had something in common with a boy. Something to relate to.

"Are you in danger?" He asked, scanning a list of topics to converse about.

"no... I just... I just want to talk." She said quietly, but her voice was peeking through her hushed tone. He paused a moment. Many people wanted to talk. Needed to talk, but didn't have someone to go to. That's what the service was all about. And he had to deal with it, and actually try to sound interested.

"So what's been on your mind?" He asked, prodding her to speak.

"A lot of things. School, friends, home..." All perfectly normal things to worry about. She sounded like she was still in high school. Definitely younger than him.

"Is anything jumping out to you? A situation you're having trouble with? Maybe something someone said or did?" He asked prodding more. He squeezed the bridge of his nose as he looked down the list of things to say once more. He wasn't good with people and was just now questioning why he would pursue this course.

"Yes, but I don't want to talk about that. I... I don't know you. I don't feel... I don't want to talk about that." He paused again. There was something distressed in her voice. It wasn't right.

"Are you sure you're not in danger?" He asked again, not taking his feelings lightly.

"I... Can I tell you about my secret place?" She obviously avoided his question, but he had to let her. If she was in danger, he had to find out, and forcing her to talk about it would only make her hang up.

"Sure."

"Well, there's this set of train tracks by my house. If I follow them far enough they go into a forested area. Once inside, there's a small spring there. I love sitting there. It's so far from everything else. So quiet, but loud at the same time. Have you ever really heard life?" She asked. It was as if she was in a trance, a whole new person. The distressed vibe in her voice disappeared and she was calm, happy. She obviously was escaping something, but many people did that. He even did for a while.

When he first started college, he needed a break. Double majoring and running a business was so stressful, along with Mokuba starting school and worse, dating, he needed a retreat. He'd take his lunch breaks along the side of a small pond two blocks south of Kaiba corp. He knew exactly what she was talking about.

"The wind picking up the leaves around you as something scurries across where you cant see them. The hum of people and cars and other things waiting patiently in the distance for you to return from your break, so you know it's still there, but it's not demanding anymore. Yes. I've heard life." Even as he said it, as he imagined it, it put him at ease. He suddenly felt comfortable saying it, not to mention knowing that this stranger only knew him as a stranger helping him feel better. The phone between them, the anonymity of it all... he knew he'd never make it as a therapist, face to face, but this he could deal with. It wasn't so bad now.

"Yes, that's exactly it. I feel like I've found my heaven." He understood that as well. The one piece of refuge in a chaotic world. Anyone would think the same.

"Are you there now?" he asked, truly curious.

"Oh, no. I'm not allowed out until the weekends." she said giggling, as if it was so obvious. She must be a high schooler. Curfews tend to stop after the child moves out or, starts college, at least, strict ones like that.

"So you're at home? Who lives with you?" She paused and he waited. He didn't know what girls liked to talk about, but he knew boys loved venting about parents and brothers and sisters.

"I live with my mom and dad." She said after the wait.

"No siblings?"

"No, I'm the only one." She said cheerily.

"You must get all the attention."

"Yup. Hey, you're a student right? What else are you studying?" suddenly it was on him. He was a peer counselor, but he didn't know how chummy he was supposed to get with the callers, and generically, it wasn't like him to open up to anyone.

"Psych and math." He answered briefly. She didn't need to know more.

"Math? I love math. I wanted to go to school to be a math teacher, but... my parents wanted me to be a doctor... I don't mind it, but I just always wanted to be a teacher and math was so easy for me. My freshman year in high school I got into Transition from Trig to Calc I loved it." Kaiba was impressed. He was already in Calc 2 by then, but it was still a feat to start high school at that level.

"Maybe if you talked to them about it they would-"

"No, they... they're stuck in their ways... I probably shouldn't have said anything about it. I'd just get myself excited."

"That's what I'm here for. There's always the future. You have your entire life to pursue your dreams. If making your family happy now means you'll get a good paying job and pay for your own schooling later in life to do what you really want, then I think it's worth it." The girl was quiet, taking in his words on the other side of the line.

"I guess you're right. I just wish I had some control over my life. I just want to have a say."

"Control will come with time. For now, you should focus on enjoying your home, and go to your... Heaven if you need to."

"Yeah... thanks. Hey... if... if I need to speak to someone again... are you the only one?" Kaiba glanced down at the phone for a moment. She clearly wanted to talk to him again. He shrugged, even though she couldn't see it. She wasn't horrible to talk to. Just needed someone to let out her stress with.

"No, but I can give you my extension. When it asks, my extension is 323. I'm here between one and four Monday through Friday. I don't work the weekends." He informed her.

"Ok, great... I guess... I'll talk to you later...thank you." Her last words, though appreciated, were somewhat distant. He could feel an entire different level of meaning behind them as he hung up the phone. Was what he did really all that important? He thought back to when he was struggling with the weight of the world on his shoulder and thought about how it would be different if someone was there for him.

The thought was cut short as his phone rang again.

"Free counseling hotline. We are student managed and run, is this alright?" He recited into the phone, ready to help the next caller.

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><p>Kaiba laid down on his bed, completely exhausted from the day. Classes started at nine in the morning and he had only just left work and got home an entire thirteen and a half hours later.<p>

"Hey, Seto?" Mokuba's voice called from his door. Kaiba lifted his head, but didn't get up. "Mind if I have Connie over?" Of course it was a girl. It was always a girl. Connie... which one was that? The blonde with the short skirt... no that was Sarah... the redhead with all the rings? Kaiba didn't care.

"Mokuba... it's eleven thirty." He observed glancing at the clock.

"We wont keep you up." Mokuba argued. He was quite the charmer, now seventeen and almost fully grown. Kaiba didn't approve of his flirtatious lifestyle, but did little to stop him, other than upholding curfew and making sure he kept up with his schooling.

"No, Mokuba. You cant have someone over this late." He said, letting his head fall back onto his pillow. "Have her over tomorrow... at a decent hour." he said, and the boy gave up. He didn't like the decision, but it was his brother's to make.

"How was that school thing? I imagined you yelling at people complaining about stupid little problems all day." He joked, laughing while the elder sighed.

"I'm not allowed to yell, and I'm quite in control of myself, unlike the other Kaiba in this room." He shot back. Even half asleep and fully exhausted, he was able to get his brother.

"Well, at least I have a girlfriend. And I'm not laid out at eleven thirty. I could party for another four hours before I crash." Kaiba sighed again. Mokuba developed an attitude once he hit puberty that Kaiba could frankly do without. He remained silent, not entirely in possession of enough strength to argue with Mokuba that night, he let the boy walk away victorious.

As sleep claimed him, his mind drifted off to a calm sweet place with a pond and no troubles.

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**So thus ends the first chapter of a fic I'm on edge about. I wrote it a long time ago, but never posted it (back when fanfictions were only written in notebooks during school) it's come back to mind a few times, but I finally found the guts to put it up. Please please please, don't hold back. I want to hear what you think. I neeeeds my reviews! **

**Read, Review, Enjoy~Love Ya!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

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"Stop." Kaiba commanded. His voice was calm and cool, but his pulse was racing. "Think about it. Is this really what you want?" He asked the caller as he rose and signaled his supervisor. The woman came by as he continued. "But it's not over. You still have your daughter. She needs you." He took the phone and laid the speaker against this shirt, muffling it. "Suicide" He said to the supervisor and she rushed off to the office to call it in.

There had been many calls requiring action from the phones over the last two weeks. The outcomes were varied, but generally speaking, the response times were slow at best. There was a limited amount of what could be done for people in serious need for help. Being an anonymous hotline, it made it difficult to act accordingly. They could give the police a call and a description of the caller as best they could, but overall, the police couldn't find a nameless, faceless, address-less victim. He knew hiss best bet was to talk him out of his attempt before it was too late.

"Sir, she does need you. Every child needs their parents. Both of them. Even if they're divorced."

"You got kids? Do you know? You sound like you could be my kid. You have no clue." The man's angry voice called.

"No, but I did lose my parents." Kaiba waited as silence filled the other end of the line. He wanted his words to sink in. "I needed my father. I needed both of my parents and they weren't there. Even now I'd give everything to see them again. Think about what you're doing. She may have taken your possessions, but you still have your little girl. When she grows up, you'll be her best friend. Her safety net. The person she trusts and loves wholly and unconditionally. Is that worth your life?" The man was still quiet, and Kaiba couldn't stop tapping his pen against the desk in front of him. He was used to high stress situations, but there was nothing like a life or death situation. He had been in a few, but every time, it was just like the first.

"No..." the man finally said.

"Let me get you some help. What's your name? I can find someone who can help you face to face. Someone who will understand you." He said slowly as he looked up at his supervisor.

"Y-yes... help... Shinji. Shinji Kayatsu." Kaiba opened his booklet of licensed therapists and read off a few names, allowing the man to pick out which he was more comfortable with. He talked Shinji into giving him his number and once the call was over, his supervisor called the chosen therapist for a recommendation. He left shortly to grab a glass of water and returned to his phone ringing again.

"Free counseling hotline. We are student managed and run, is this alright?" He recited in monotone. He was sick of the line already and it had only been two weeks.

"Yup." A cheerful voice said into the phone.

"Are you in danger?" he asked again.

"Nope." The caller answered and he paused. Usually they had something to say at this point, but this one remained quiet.

"Is there anything you would like to talk about today?" he prompted, tired of waiting.

"I think I found your heaven." the caller responded and he furrowed his brow. "Is it the park on 28th? In the business district? It's a big park, with a pond and you can barely hear the city, even though it's right there." She said, and he smirked.

"I was beginning to think you wouldn't call again. Yes, that's the one. How are you?" He asked. For some reason, he couldn't stop his lips from curling up at the ends. He chalked it up to his performance with the previous caller and focused on her.

"I'm... well. I wanted to see your heaven really bad, so I went out two Saturdays ago. I... I ran away from home." Kaiba stilled, but allowed her to continue, the smile finally gone. "I guess I just couldn't deal... but I went back on Sunday. I slept by the pond. It was... nice. My parents grounded me for a week, so I haven't been able to call or anything, but now I can. How are you?" She sounded so cheery. It was odd hearing her speak so casually about something like running away.

"I'm... I'm having a good day, but tell me, do you run away a lot?" He said, now used to flipping a conversation back on the caller.

"No. I think about it a lot, but I don't really have anything. I don't have a job, or money, pretty much everything I have is at the house."

"Good. It's dangerous out on your own like that. Especially in the business district at night. There are some real creeps out there." he warned.

"I don't mind creeps. I just didn't want to be home." She said absentmindedly.

"Why?"

"Well... oh! Did you know you can see almost all of Kaiba Corp from the park? At night, it's all lit up, like a giant light in the middle of town. I don't think it shut down until midnight... or... sometime around there. I wasn't sure. I don't have a watch."

"Yes, I know. There are a lot of tall buildings around the business district. What made you feel like you had to run away?" He could hear her getting more uncomfortable, but he grew to expect people to just open up to him. So many times, he would hear every dark secret and stomach turning thought within twenty minutes of receiving the call. She was just so... closed.

"The same thing that makes me want to run away all the time. Just... stuff. I've been having trouble at school lately." Kaiba heard the words, but something was different. He knew she wasn't lying, but he didn't think this problem was the trigger problem.

"What's been bothering you at school?" he asked, giving up and planning to return to the subject later.

"Well, my grades are slipping. My mom and dad are angry. My GPA fell to a 3.9 and now they're trying to get me a tutor. Dad said he'd even try to get Seto Kaiba to tutor me. Can you believe that? As if Seto Kaiba would waste time on someone like me. He's probably got a million and one things to do. Besides, my father would never hire a male tutor. He doesn't even like me to have friends who are boys." Kaiba smirked at her reference to him.

"Does he know you talk to me?"

"No. He... he wouldn't understand. You... You wont tell him, will you?"

"No. How could I? I don't even know your name."

"Oh... right..." She laughed nervously on the other line and he felt warmed. Something about her was endearing.

"Is anything else bothering you?"

"yeah... but I'm still not ready to say it." He sighed. She was something different.

Over the next two weeks he had grown to expect her calls. Every day around two thirty she would call, talk about nothing and everything, and he would ask the same question.

"Are you ready yet?" and she would reply the same.

"Nope, but soon." The routine was nice for him in an otherwise hectic environment.

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><p>"Uh... Seto... That's not your bed." Mokuba's voice jarred him awake. He lifted his head, and the piece of paper he was resting on went with him. "Ew..." Mokuba said, nearing his brother and removing it.<p>

"What time is it Mokuba?" Kaiba asked sitting upright in his chair and stretching. A sickening series of creaks and cracks littered his back as he twisted. Desks were not the most comfortable resting areas.

"It's like... five." The boy said glancing over at his clock. "Uh, I need to talk to you." He said warily. Kaiba sobered up immediately. All instances of sleep and tiredness vanished as his brother spoke the words. It was never good. He stood, towering over Mokuba and looked down at him, ready to hear him. "well... uh... Chelsea... we...The other day when she was over we... but it was still too soon-" Kaiba did not like the way this conversation was going.

"Spit it out Mokuba."

"... Chelsea took a pregnancy test and it came out positive, but it was still too soon to tell." he said quickly and quietly. It didn't matter. Kaiba heard every word.

"You... What is wrong with you? You are a millionaire and you cant afford fucking condoms? How many times have I told you to be careful? I didn't try to stop you, I fucking gave you your space thinking you were smart enough to avoid this, but you go and... God damn it Mokuba..." Kaiba finished pacing by running his fingers through his hair. "I don't have the time for this. I don't have the time or the patience."

"Hey, it's my problem. Not yours. I was just telling you-" Mokuba started, not defensive of his situation.

"No, It's my problem too. You see, You're seventeen. You will still be seventeen by the time the baby is born. That means I'm not only your guardian, but I have to look over the baby as well. It's my problem too."

"Only for like a month. Then it's mine!" Kaiba leveled him with a glare before walking out of the room. How could Mokuba be so stupid? Maybe... maybe it wasn't Mokuba's fault... not entirely. Maybe he hadn't done everything he could to teach and help Mokuba understand situations like this. Maybe he was to blame... He could already tell today was going to be a bad day.

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><p>Finally at his cubicle, Kaiba sat heavily. He glanced around, his mind wandering to Kaiba Corp. He had gone through the employee work stations himself, and opened up the place, making it more roomy and comfortable for the employees that were forced into tiny boxes like this one. He turned on the computer and opened the recording program. As he waited for the computer to turn on, his supervisor walked by, dropping a sheet of paper in front of him before moving on to the next cubicle.<p>

It was his monthly performance review. He scanned the page and read a few key phrases and found that it was overall positive. Things like 'handles situations very well' and 'able to aim the conversation in positive directions' stood out, but there was one negative review that his professors agreed on. 'Amazing logical deductions, but misses emotional motives and undertones'.

He somewhat expected that. He was never good at emotions unless they were blatant. He used to believe that if the emotions weren't blatant, people were just mocking him, or trying to make fun of him. It was a very childish way of thinking, but back then, it was him against the world. When Mokuba grew up and learned to control his emotions better, Kaiba was forced to grow up and learn that just because they're not entirely open, doesn't mean they're conspiring against you.

His phone rang the second it was online. He answered in the typical fashion, but the voice on the other line made him snap up in his seat.

"Yes, I'm fine and no I'm not in danger." The girls voice called out, answering his next question before he could ask it. "I just really need to talk. I... Have you ever had a bad day so horrible that it feels like the entire world is out to get you?" He waited a moment, slightly amused at how he was just thinking about those days, but removed that emotion, as she was clearly panicked.

"Yes. I used to have them a lot."

"Well I just had one... I don't know how long I'll be able to talk though..." He glanced at the clock, even though he knew what time it was. It was just past one, which was weird for her. She usually didn't call until two thirty.

"Are you in school?" He asked, wondering if she was sneaking calls. His high school didn't allow phones unless you were on break or in lunch.

"No. I'm at home. But that's the issue. I just..." He could hear her voice crack on the other end of the line. Something definitely wasn't right. It didn't seem like a normal bad day, though, he could be mistaken. He did hear girls broke down a lot.

"What's wrong?"

"It's the thing again. I... I still don't...I still can't say... but it's the thing again. I don't want to be here." now she was sobbing.

"Calm down. Relax yourself. Are you afraid?" she didn't say anything. He could hear her breathing, but no response was given. "Hello?" he asked, prompting her.

"Oh... My dad... he's home. I have to go. I'm grounded again. I don't know when I can talk to you again. I..." Kaiba heard a noise in the background, then a clear argument.

"Dad... I'm sorry!"

"_I told you no phone and no computer. You love breaking the rules don't you? Hang it up, I need to talk to you and your mother." _ the mans voice sounded. He didn't seem angered. He actually sounded in very good control. Almost tired even. Perhaps she was over reacting. He heard a beep and put down the phone.

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><p>Mokuba slouched on the bench in the front hall of the Kaiba mansion, waiting for his doom. Kaiba paced in front of him anxiously, pausing every few moments. He didn't have much time left in the short period between his psych program and work, but he needed to hear the result. After a few more moments, the girl, Chelsea stepped out of the bathroom and into the hall. Both Kaiba's looked up at her. She looked over at the sitting one with a worried expression, then up to the more intimidating of the two and swallowed hard.<p>

"It... It's... Positive."

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**Read, Review, Enjoy~Love Ya!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

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"Mokuba, it's your decision now. Let me know when you make it." Kaiba said after five minutes of rubbing his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose and running his hands through his hair. He walked away, intent on changing before work and finally left, leaving the two there alone.

"Decide what?" Mokuba asked, finding his voice now that his brother was gone.

"If... we want to keep it." Chelsea answered sitting next to him and staring off at the rug.

"Shit..."

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><p>She placed the food on the table, setting it and preparing the drinks for dinner. When the clock struck six, they came. Dinner was quiet, but she liked it that way. No talking. No yelling. No mistakes. Just eating. When they were done she wordlessly removed the dishes, washed them and put them back in their place. Everything had a place. The bowls at the top, the plates on the level below them, and the silverware in the draw.<p>

It was just like her family. Everything had a place. Her father at the top. Her mother below him, and she was there, at the bottom. She wondered if it was how life worked. If she would ever be at the top. Or even, second.

Once dinner was done and her father and mother had retired to their own business, she slipped out the door and took off. She ran. She raced. The wind blew out her hair and her coat caught and danced behind her as she sped down the train tracks. Some days she wished a train would actually use them, but they had been out of service for over two years now. She slowed as she wondered how it would feel to be hit by a train. How much it would hurt and for how long. If the difference between laying across the tracks or standing before it really mattered.

Those thoughts disappeared as she hopped off of them and jogged into the shrubbery of the forest. There was a small beaten path twisting down to the waters edge where her favorite boulder sat, ready for her.

The sun speckled through the leaves, dappling the ground and rocks and water as she relaxed. The rustling of the leaves were like a song to her and the smell of dried leaves and wet earth was intoxicating. Like a drug. This was her home. This was where she belonged. This was where she was on top.

The sun set in the distance and the warm oranges and pinks graced the sky letting her know her time was almost up. Her heaven would wait for her though. She knew it would. It was always there for her. Like the rock one anchors themselves on when the turbulent waves try to wash them away.

She bid farewell to her refuge and moved down the tracks more slowly this time. She wasn't looking forward to going home but knew if she did everything right, she'd be able to come back.

Her mind drifted now to her new anchor, the voice with no face, her human escape from the world. He seemed so smart. So caring and so... grounded. She wondered who he was for a moment, then shook the thought from her mind. No, she didn't care who it was. She didn't want to know. She'd been face to face with many people, and all they've ever done... It was better not to know. It was safer not to know.

Once back inside the house, she hung up her coat and began to tidy the living areas.

"It's about time you got home. You're late." She froze as her father called her. "well, hurry up then." He said too casually. She put down the newspapers she was moving and followed him farther into the house.

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><p>Kaiba placed the phone down again, finally finished with his work at the psychology center. He hadn't gotten a call from the girl in over three weeks and he was starting to get worried. He wondered if it was normal or wise for a counselor to feel an attachment to a client, or in this case, a caller. She confused him. She wanted to talk to him about all the little things, but obviously had bigger problems. What was worse was, he actually really wanted to help her.<p>

He shook the mouse, waking the monitor and moved to close the program when his phone rang again. He debated just leaving. It was already just past four, but he didn't look forward to talking to Mokuba about his issues again. He let it ring a few more time, mulling it over, but decided to answer. He recited his line and waited for the response.

"Hey, yes it's alright, and no I'm not in danger... I thought you would have left already." The girls voice called to him. He didn't have much time but her voice put him at ease.

"I was on my way out but decided to take my last call." He said honestly.

"Wow, you must really like to help people." He could almost hear her smile.

"I do what I can. How are you?" He glanced at the clock, but figured that he was his own boss and could push back the schedule if need be.

"Actually, can we talk about you today?" Kaiba stilled. She wanted to talk about him? What could she possibly want to know... "I.. I feel comfortable talking to you, but... I don't know you. I don't need a name or anything, I just want to know what you're like. What you're in to."

"I..." He didn't know what he should say. Should he be honest? What if she figured out who he was...did it even really matter? When it came down to it, he did feel more comfortable with her not knowing his name, but he guessed it would be alright to let her know a little about him. She wasn't the only one with problems. "I'm into games and I live with my little brother." He answered, allowing her to choose which she would like him to elaborate about.

"You have a little brother? I've always wanted a little brother or sister." She said excitedly.

"They're not all they're cracked up to be." He said now thinking about his brother's dilemma.

"What? I know people get annoyed and their little brothers and sisters can be... a handful... but overall..." She trailed off, trying to understand.

"Overall, I love him, but he's not so little anymore. He's making all sorts of bad decisions and getting into so much trouble." Kaiba sighed heavily.

"What kind of trouble?" She asked and he debated changing the subject. He didn't want to think about it. It had been three weeks since he found out about the pregnancy and they still hadn't made a decision about the baby.

"He... He... He got a girl pregnant." he finally said. She had opened herself to him, and he felt some sort of obligation.

"What? How old is he?"

"Seventeen. I'm not even that angry with him. I'm upset that I let him get away with things like this for so long. If I had taken better care of him... done more to guide him..."

"But... there's nothing that can be done about it right now. Aren't you excited?"

"...Excited?" Was she kidding?

"Well, with the baby coming. It's going to be a lot of work, but... it's your niece or nephew."

"Well, they haven't quite decided if they're going to keep it yet..."

"Ah... Well, Mr. Counselor, all you can do now is support him. It's a really hard decision, and no matter what they choose, it's going to be with them for the rest of their lives. Getting angry at him or yourself is just going to stress the both of you out." She was right. Either raising a child or choosing to... it was going to stick with them. No matter what. He had to be there for his little brother.

"You're right. Looks like you were the counselor today." He said with a chuckle. It was still going to be difficult, but now at least he knew what he was going to do.

"No, you still were. It really does feel good to help people. I needed that today... Thank you. You know... I think you may be the closest thing to a friend I've got... oh, I shouldn't have said that... now I'm a freak. Heh, I think I should go now. Bye." She hung up before he could respond. He had almost blurted out that she was the same for him. He sat for a moment longer before logging off the computer. Was she? He didn't exactly have friends, but could he possibly consider her one? She was a voice at the other end of the phone. A nameless, faceless, girl that he was trying to help.

No, she wasn't a friend. She was a caller. And there were strict boundaries between the counselor and the counseled.

Kaiba went directly to work, having no time to change or even visit his home. He grabbed some fast food on the way and retreated up into his office.

To support his brother... and his potential niece or nephew... His family.

He tapped his pen on his desk, a habit he didn't care to break, and thought about the idea of expanding his family. It meant the world to him. When he lost his parents, it tore him and his brother apart. There had been an emptiness inside him for almost all his life. He always thought it would be a woman to fill it. Someone to truly love him, money, fame, status aside. That it would make him better, but maybe he was wrong.

Maybe he needed the baby. Maybe he needed his family to grow. To take care of and nurture a child. A part of his brother. A part of him.

The pen stopped and he lifted himself out of the chair. He would take the rest of the day off. He was going to talk to Mokuba and work something out. He needed it as much as Mokuba did.

When he got home the place seemed empty. The maids were elsewhere and the giant screen television in the main living room was untouched. He moved up the stairs to Mokuba's bedroom when he heard a shuffle. The door was open a crack, but Kaiba didn't peek, he pushed it open. It was his house. If he wanted to enter he could.

The girl shrieked as Mokuba jumped off of her. Kaiba held back his usual smirk and fit himself with a dead tone.

"Put on your clothes we're talking." He said moving away from the door and towards his private study. He could hear Mokuba mumble something about him being at work, but ignored it. A few minutes passed before Mokuba and Chelsea entered. The girl, once again, sported a mad blush across her face while Mokuba looked more frustrated.

"Mind telling me what's going on? I thought I had a right to privacy." He argued, but Kaiba was too amused to get angry.

"You do, but not from me. Have you decided?" Mokuba calmed and looked cautiously over at Chelsea. She shuffled her feet but nodded.

"Don't get mad... but we're keeping it." He finally said. Kaiba wasn't angry. He was actually very pleased with the choice.

"Do your parents know?" Kaiba asked, now turning his focus on the girl. She wordlessly shook her head in response. "What's your number?" He asked, picking up the phone.

"N-No, please, don't... they... they'll make me get rid of it." She said, jumping up as Mokuba tried to calm her. Kaiba stopped, phone halfway to his ear and looked her over.

"You know this for a fact?" He asked, still watching her, and she nodded.

"They threaten me with it all the time." He sat for a moment, but brought the phone the rest of the way up.

"Tell me their number." Both Mokuba and Chelsea looked at Kaiba in shock. She hesitated, but eventually listed off the numbers. The phone rang for a bit, but finally someone answered. " Hello, Mrs..." Kaiba paused looking at Chelsea.

"McCoan." The girl informed him, allowing him to repeat it into the phone.

"Mrs. McCoan. This is Seto Kaiba... No, this isn't a joke. I'm actually calling about your daughter. She's here now. I'm not sure if you know, but she's been... in a relationship with my younger brother. Yes, Mokuba... That's not why I'm calling. I'm calling because she's pregnant." Kaiba yanked the phone from his ear as the woman unleashed a string of curses. He let the woman calm down, then speak. After a moment, he held out the phone to her. "Your turn." He said as she took it and swallowed hard.

"M-Mom?" As soon as she had said the words, she too had to pull the phone from her ear. When her mother finally reached a decibel that wouldn't destroy her ears, she pulled the phone back close. "N-No... it's true... but... no, mom... I didn't plan...Mom... No, I'm keeping it. No... but... but that's not fair... you're supposed..." Suddenly the phone went silent. The girls hand shook as she returned it and Kaiba eyed her patiently. "she... she's kicking me out..." She said defeatedly.

"What? Why? You're her daughter! She cant just abandon you!"

"She said if I wanted to act like an adult, I might as well live like one... she thinks I'm dropping out of school. That I'm throwing my life away." Kaiba folded his hands in front of him as he leaned forward and Mokuba looked at her confusedly.

"She... does know who I am right?" The younger Kaiba said, raising a brow in typical older brother fashion.

"She said I'm just a fling... a... a whore..." That was a bit too far. Kaiba sat back, ready to stand, but Mokuba jumped up first.

"Chelsea, you're not just a fling. You know that right? I've had a lot of flings, and this isn't one of them. I'm not just going to disappear. I'm not leaving a kid to grow up without a dad... I'm here for you." Kaiba stopped. He saw Mokuba, standing with his hands on her shoulders and head hung low. His brother meant it. Kaiba would have said the same thing. No child deserves to be cast out into the world. Not Chelsea, and not the baby growing inside her.

"So, when do we pick up your things?" Kaiba asked coolly. Both teens looked at him. "You don't expect me to let the mother of my niece or nephew live on the streets, do you?" He said with a smirk. Chelsea didn't answer. She didn't need to. With no notice, he was caught in a hug as the girl sobbed onto him. He patted her back warily, not used to being embraced and looked over to Mokuba.

"Seto... I know I haven't said this in a while, but it's still true... You're the best, big brother."

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**Dont forget to review and tell me what you think! I'm liking this story so far. I just wish it would get more hits. *sadface***

**Read, Review, Enjoy~Love!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

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The lecture hall was unusually crowded this day. Kaiba tapped his pen on the desk as people filed in. The crowd was almost double the size as people selected from various programs and schools were invited to attend the lecture. It was a simple one about the different hormonal glands in the brain and how a dysfunction in one or many can effect the psyche. It seemed like a regular lecture within the normal bounds of his studies, but the school made a huge spectacle of it, stating that it was given by the highest grade doctors and college students the school was affiliated with.

Many students from his university and other sister universities were invited, along with a large group of outstanding high school students who were going into the medical and psych fields. Kaiba leaned on his hand as he wondered if his caller would be in. She was an outstanding student.

Finally the high schoolers finished filing in and the lecturers entered. There were two doctors, Dr. Noy Makano and Dr. Jira Katsumono, then there were four students, Michelle Jinokama, Maz Raheem, Hitori Minamu, and Naomi Raye. The doctors started and finished, giving each of the students a turn in the middle. Overall, the lecture was good, but Kaiba couldn't help but scan the high school section over and over, looking for a face to match the voice.

He focused on the lecturers, Michelle currently speaking and tried to absorb the information. She wasn't a very confident speaker and rushed through her lines nervously. She almost reminded him of his caller. Next the Hitori boy was up. He was even worse. He stuttered and stumbled, forcing the other boy, Maz to step in and correct him. He was confident, overtly confident and relished the idea of correcting the other boy. It was technically the girl Naomi's turn, but he took it instead. Finally Naomi spoke, having to ad lib, now that her part had been taken. She handled it well though.

When it was over he went straight to his little cubicle on the other side of the school. About a half hour in he heard the voice he had been straining to remember.

"Yes and No." She said, answering both questions before he could ask them. He smirked to himself. He had definitely heard her voice that day. He had been straining so much to hear similarities in the voices that almost all of them ended up sounding like her, and none of them did as well. He blamed the distortion the phone caused on the sound waves and sighed.

"Don't have school today?" he asked, noting how it was only one thirty and trying to pry her activities from her.

"I got out early. There was a lecture at this big university that I had and they gave us the rest of the day off. I kind of didn't want to go, but dad made me." He smirked. He knew it.

"The one about the hormonal imbalances and their effects?" He asked and the other end went quiet.

"Yes... you weren't... were you there?"

"Yes. I actually thought you would be there... I was right. Where were you?" He asked. She had been pausing on the other end. He figured she was trying to decide whether to let him know who she was.

"Hmmmm..." She finally said. "I don't think I trust you quite enough yet, but you're getting there. How about this, if you guess which one I was, I'll tell you if you're wrong or right."

"Sounds reasonable. Would you like to guess which I was?"

"Nope. I like the mystery." He smiled again. She didn't care what he looked like, or what his name was. Just who he was. It comforted him. "Oh, and you only get one guess a day."

"Fine... the blonde in the very front with the white skirt and pink tee." He said, remembering one of the girls who had caught his eye.

"Do I sound like a blonde?" She laughed into the phone.

"I don't know. You cant tell hair color over the phone. Besides, you just gave me a bigger hint than you think. Now I can rule out all the blondes in the crowd." He heard her squeak on the other line and quieted his chuckle.

"Well, that was your guess for the day, and you wont be getting anymore hints like that you crafty thing. Oh, how is your brother? Did he make a decision?" Now it was back on him, as she had done many times, but he minded less and less every day.

"They're keeping it." He informed her proudly.

"That's awesome! Oh, you're going to love having a little niece or nephew!" She said excitedly. His smile faded as he thought about Chelsea and her predicament. How could someone do that to their own daughter? He sighed, the thought weighing on him. "What...what's wrong?" She asked, hearing him.

"Oh... nothing... well..." He had already told her of his most recent issue, and this one was small in comparison. "Che- … the pregnant girl... her mother threw her out."

"What? Why?"

"Because she wouldn't have an abortion. It's stupid really." He said angrily. How could someone demand that of their child?

"That's awful. What is she going to do now?"

"She's moving in with me. I'm going to be taking care of them both while she goes to school."

"You're so sweet... I wish I had someone like you in my life." She said almost sadly.

"You do." The words spilled from him.

"... Yeah. I guess I do. If... If you have time, do you mind... do you mind visiting my special place?"

"What, now?" He asked raising a brow.

"No, silly. Just whenever." She laughed.

"I guess I could give it a shot. I don't have much time in the day, but I'll try sometime soon."

"Thanks. It's the train tracks just past the small Yakisoba shop on 12th. I don't know the distance, but once you get to the yellow electric box with the Kuriboh graffiti you turn into the woods. You should be able to hear the water ... oh, I have to go... But I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Hey... are you ready yet?" He asked, continuing his tradition.

"... soon." She answered and the line went dead.

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><p>Kaiba kicked at the gravel lining the tracks. 12th street was quite a distance away from Kaiba Corp, but he decided he didn't want to go that day. He really had been pushing too much out of himself lately. He just wanted to relax. He thought for a moment, that he might just skip going to the girls "special place" for today and just spend it by the pond, but he was already half way there.<p>

He hopped over a fallen log just past the yellow electric box she had told him about and found a small path twisting through the foliage. He followed it down to a small waterfront where there was a clearing. It looked quite cozy. Secluded but still out in the open. A mix of things he hadn't really been able to find proper balance of in his own life. He took in a deep breath and exhaled the crisp clean air. There was something musty, but clear about it. Almost tropical.

A large rock sat by the edge of the spring and he moved to it, sitting and relaxing on it. He didn't know how long he stayed, and he hadn't bothered to check. Once the sky started to darken, he finally left. It was a break he thoroughly needed in a place he found perfectly suited to resting, but life was calling him. Before he took off, he left a small box on the rock, hoping she was the only one to use the small area for rest.

As he entered his mansion, he felt completely re-energized. He threw his coat on the chair in his home office and hooked up his laptop to the dock on his desk. Before he could seat himself Mokuba burst into the room.

"Seto! I saw what you did!" He exclaimed, moving around the desk and hugging him. Kaiba smirked.

"Consider it an early baby shower gift." He said patting his brother on the arm. "Now go help your girlfriend set up her room. I skipped work today and need to check on a few things."

"Yeah su... wait... you skipped work? Who are you?" He asked cheerfully as he pretended to take his big brother's temperature. Kaiba waved him off, batting at his hand as he approached and chuckled. "Wow, you're in a good mood. I haven't heard you laugh in a few weeks. What's going on?" Kaiba debated avoiding the subject, but decided he had been being open to an almost complete stranger, why not his brother, the most trusted person in his life?

"Well, at the counseling program I go to, I've got a repeat caller. We've been talking since the beginning... actually, it was my first caller. We've pretty much talked about everything. Some days I wonder which of us is helping the other more. She was the one to tell me not to yell at you."

"Huh, I think I really like he-... wait... did you say 'she'?" He said slyly. Kaiba stared at his brother in a disapproving fashion, but it didn't silence his brother. "So when's the wedding?" Kaiba sighed. His little brother never missed an opportunity.

"She's a caller."

"A friend?" Mokuba pressed.

"No, a caller." Kaiba said getting frustrated with his brother. It was nice having him be friendly and more open with him again, but it came with it's own downfalls.

"Come on Seto, a normal caller wouldn't make you smile and laugh. What's she in to?"

"Well, I'm sure she's a high school student, so whatever you're into and oh, she's too young for me." He said glaring at the younger of the two.

"Come on Seto. She's probably just a few years younger. There's nothing wrong with that. You cant tell me you've been talking to her for over two months and you haven't learned anything about her."

"Well... she likes math." Mokuba wrinkled his nose, telling Kaiba he should try again. "She... she likes the outdoors. She wants to be a teacher, she's a great student." He said listing off the first things that came to mind.

"See, you're remembering all sorts of things. What does she know about you?" Kaiba thought for a moment and smirked.

"Well, she knows I live with my little brother and he knocked up his girlfriend." Mokuba's smile faded as he glared at his brother.

"You talked about me and my problems?"

"Like I said, Mokuba, They're my problems too. I was angry and she wanted to talk about me. She calmed me down. Actually she's... excited for me. She thinks having a baby around will... bring joy." He smiled, the thought actually doing just that.

He had ordered an entire room full of baby supplies and furnishings next to the room Mokuba's girlfriend would be staying in. He stayed up late painting it himself and going over everything so it was perfect. The room was yellow and white with a little red tint in a few items. There was a large decadent crib, a changing station, and a dresser along with all the diapers, powders and toys he could think of. It was why Mokuba had rushed into his office in the first place.

"Well, I think she's good for you. I like that you're happy. Maybe after the program you can keep talking to her." Kaiba looked at his little brother for a moment before looking down at the desk in thought.

"We'll... We'll see."

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><p>The train tracks felt extra long that day. It was the last day of her weekend before she was trapped in the house for the next five days again and she was determined to see her little piece of heaven on earth. She wasn't able to run this time, but she moved with a purpose, her limp only slowing her minimally. She debated not returning home again. They would never find her. She could spend the rest of her days in the place she loved the most. She would likely starve to death, but it was better than the alternative.<p>

She skipped down the path, finding it more difficult to maneuver now that her leg wasn't in top condition. Finally at the bottom, she moved to her favorite rock, but something was on it. A small light blue box with a simple white ribbon sat alone in the clearing. She moved to it and picked it up cautiously, looking at it from every end before removing the white ribbon.

Inside was a small simple bracelet. On the inside of the bracelet was an inscription that read "We acquire the strength that we overcome." A slow smile crossed her lips as she read it over and over. The clasp attached easily around her wrist and she held it up to catch the sunlight. She felt then and there that she was going to be ok. As long as she had her anchor, she would be ok.

When the sun set, she made her way back to her house, fidgeting with the bracelet the entire way.

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**So another chapter down. I love how the story is really taking shape of everything I wanted it to be. I just want to remind people that it's got really dark content and might get violent depending on what I decide to write. Also, for my readers that don't have an account, I update almost daily by around noon (EDT -4) it may take up to a half hour to post, but it should be up one chapter a day. For the rest of you, the story alert should let you know when** **the chapters are added. Please don't forget to Review. I love them so much. They make my day!**

**Read, Review, Enjoy~Love ya!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

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"You were there!" She called out as he attempted to say the official greeting.

"Yes... so you got it?"

"We acquire the strength that we overcome." She recited as if she had said it a hundred times before. "You didn't have to do that." She added sounding bashful.

"I wanted to show you that people do care. I do care about what you're going through. I want to help you."

"Who... who are you?" He smirked. He knew it had just slipped out, but he imagined what would happen if he actually told her. What would she say? she'd probably think it was a joke.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Now, the brunette all the way to the back on the right with the briefcase."

"No, that was the overseer who keeps an eye on the students speaking at the lecture." She giggled. He sighed, defeated, but wasn't upset by it. He would get it eventually.

"How have you been lately?"

"Well... it's been hard at school, but I've been trying to work through it." He knew this was coming. They had talked a lot about almost everything and it was inevitable that it would eventually get to school.

"What's been going on?" He asked, actually interested.

"Well, there have been people spreading rumors around about me. I thought we were past this, you know? More mature than this, but if they get back to my family... I'll be in big trouble."

"Cant you just tell your parents the truth?"

"They'd believe anyone over me. I don't understand why, they're just not trusting."

"What are the rumors?"

"That... that I slept with my teachers to get my good grades. The school board already contacted me about it and my teachers and I were cleared, but the students... it's making it difficult to work in groups and tackle projects if there's only me."

"Don't you have any friends in your classes?"

"I... I don't have any friends." She murmured quietly. "Everyone thinks I'm weird. I... I tweak a bit when people get close to me. I... I don't like being touched or snuck up on, but it looks like that's all these groups of people do to each other. I guess I'm just... flinchy and they don't understand." He could understand how not liking social norms would place you in the "weird" category. If he wasn't so idolized during all of his school years, he would have probably been considered the same.

"I get it. It'll pass. Sometimes it feels like all of our peers are just at a different level... it can get frustrating."

"Yeah... wait. How old are you?" He was a bit taken aback, but figured it was a simple enough question.

"Twenty two."

"Wow, I thought you'd be way older. You seem too smart to be twenty two." He smiled. He had been called smart before but when she said it... maybe she was more than a caller to him. She made him feel comfortable. She was endearing and almost...cute. He liked helping her, no, He loved helping her. She made his day when she talked to him, and he felt amazing knowing he did the same for her. "Well, Mr Counselor, what should I talk about next?" He smiled again.

"We could always talk about that thing..." He tried. He expected her to still and be silent for a little bit before turning him down, but he was surprised when she started to laugh.

"I think... I think you're right..." How he stilled. Was she serious? It had been just over three months of talking with her and she was finally ready to let him know why she needed the hotline to begin with. "Well, it's my parents." She started as her voice dropped to a whisper. "At first I hated my father more, but... I know my mother is worse. She doesn't just let it happen... she hates me for it." She was vague, and he knew she was trying, but he wasn't getting solid explanations. From what he did get out of her, he didn't like any of it.

"Hates you?" He prompted when she stopped talking. She remained silent for a few more minutes, then returned.

"Yes. When he... whenever he..." She kept pausing for long periods of time. Kaiba knew it must have been a difficult thing to say, but it didn't seem like the reason she stopped. "When my dad-"

"_What the hell do you think you're doing?_" Kaiba heard on the other side. It was her father, and this time, he did sound mad. Kaiba heard some scuffling then the man called into the phone.

"Hello? Who the hell is this?" His voice was laced with venom as he yelled. Kaiba couldn't lie. He had to inform him.

"This is the free counseling hotline run by-"

"Counseling? No one here needs that bull shit. don't call back." Kaiba could hear her trying to explain herself in the background before the phone was slammed down, ending the call. He didn't feel right about the entire affair, but he was bound by the schools code. He glanced at the program recording the conversations and then down at the phone. It would be easy to hack into. He could retrieve the numbers she had called from without much effort, but it was a violation that would cost him his degree. Possibly even expel him.

No... she would call back in a few weeks time. She always called back in a few weeks.

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><p>Chelsea moved from the chair by the desk to the couch. Kaiba had set up a living room just for her along with a master bathroom, the baby's room and the bedroom she slept in. It was the end of the first trimester and she wasn't showing at all. Mokuba had extra curricular activities after school and the elder Kaiba had work until very late at night. It was weird living in the mansion. Every girls dream, but it felt so empty without Mokuba. Him and his brother did everything they could to make her feel welcome and at home, but her thoughts moved back to her mother.<p>

Her father had left them before she was born and instead of clinging to her, her mother blamed her. She had always made it known that, given the chance, she would have chosen her father over her any day. It hurt, but Chelsea had learned to live with it. She filled the void her parents created with sex, drugs and alcohol in a self destructive spiral that Mokuba had pulled her from.

He had been all about partying, just like her. It was how they met. He was supposed to be just another fling, like all the other boys. Something to make her feel instead of being locked in a numb enclosure filled with depression and self loathing. She knew he had other girls. She didn't care. She had other boys, but they stopped doing it for her. Eventually, she gave up on them all together. He was the only one that could make her feel anymore.

It started to hurt her that he didn't seem to feel the same way. She couldn't deal with it anymore, so she called it off. She told him she didn't want to have anything to do with him anymore. That she wasn't just a booty call. She didn't want to feel worthless anymore. That's when she fell in love with him. She could still remember it, like a dream that plays over and over in the back of her mind.

He put his arm around her and looked at her confidently. She had been angry, escalating the talk all on her own, but he remained calm. Something he took from his brother. He smiled and tilted his head, like he knew exactly what she was going to say. She still wondered if he actually did.

'I was going to say the same thing' he said. She remembered being torn between crying and wanting to hit him, but he spoke again before she could decide. 'Except, I want to be more. Not less.' he offered her a wink and her knees felt weak. It was the best feeling in the world. She hugged him and he chuckled, patting her back. She was in heaven... but she didn't know in barely a week and a half's time she would be pregnant.

She knew he wouldn't leave. She knew he would be there for her and his child, but she just couldn't help but feel the thought of him casting her out in her subconsciousness. It haunted her. They had only officially dated little over a week before he was glued to her by means of the child growing in her. There was no foundation to their relationship. There was no period of getting to really know one another. She just hoped it would turn out alright in the end.

She rubbed her belly and sighed, wondering if the child was alright and fell asleep on the couch.

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><p>It had been over a month since Kaiba had heard from his caller. He was worried now. He had just under two months left of his program and if he didn't hear from her... he would do nothing. There was nothing he could do. It was as if he finally made a friend and she was ripped from him unwillingly. He did consider her a friend now. He did care for her, and not hearing from her worried him.<p>

He found himself leaving work early almost every other day, and taking a trip down to her secret place. He had left another gift for her every Friday night, but by Monday, it was still there. He knew she wasn't allowed out on weekdays, so she must not have been able to leave during weekends as well. He knew if she had, she would have gone straight there.

He wanted to talk to her again. He had been having issues at home and helping her made him feel like he had control over the things in his life. Over something. Chelsea had been complaining about not feeling right. The doctors said she was fine, but she insisted that something was wrong. There was still no sign or show that she was pregnant and she was obviously distressed by it.

Kaiba had told her that women show pregnancy differently, and to calm down despite him being worried as well. After another week of her worrying, he decided to go get a second opinion. He let her choose the hospital and when they arrived, he was greeted by two familiar faces. One was Dr. Makano and the other was one of the student speakers that performed the lecture about two months prior. The student was the last one to present, the girl Naomi.

She had long black hair that was pulled into a high ponytail and light hazel eyes. She held a clip board to her chest as the doctor performed a complete examination on Chelsea. When the time came, she ushered him out of the room, offering the girl some privacy. Kaiba waited out in the hall until they let him back in.

"It looks like you're at one hundred percent." The doctor said before facing Kaiba. "She's good to go, but isn't she a bit young for you?" The doctor asked with a smile, but Kaiba heard the accusation in his voice.

"I'm not with him. I'm with Mokuba." Chelsea answered for him and the doctor took a step back, panicking a little.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean-" He stumbled for words, but Naomi stepped up.

"Dr. Makano cares a lot about his patients. He has to ask, no matter what the circumstance. He only has the best in mind." The girl said before things could escalate. Kaiba hadn't planned at making a big thing out of it, but he was offended. She bowed respectfully and Kaiba nodded. He watched as she raised her head again and offered him a smile. There was something off about her smile. Her lips curled, but her eyes... they were dead. It was unsettling.

Chelsea seemed more at ease now, and when it came to the baby, so did Kaiba, but for some reason, he just couldn't shake those eyes from his mind. There was just something... broken in them, and for a moment... he wanted to fix it.

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**R+R+E~Love!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Seriously f***ed up s**t in this one. Do not read if you are younger than 18. Very dark and very adult. **

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Chapter 6

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Kaiba's fingers rapped against the desk in front of him as he waited patiently. It had been almost two whole months since he last spoke to his caller and Chelsea was still not showing. The doctors said she was fine, but he couldn't help but worry. Mokuba seemed oblivious, enjoying the fact that his girlfriend still looked hot. If he was worried, he was hiding it well. The day passed again without any word of her and though he wanted to get home to check on Chelsea, he needed desperately to relax. He sat by his pond and calmed himself down for a few hours before going to work. He started dreading going to the company. It wasn't harder, but it just seemed tedious now.

Once home he moved to check on Chelsea and Mokuba. They had fallen asleep on the couch in front of the television, Mokuba's arm wrapped around her stomach. They fit nicely together. The time she spent with them, while he got to know her, he grew to like her and appreciate the kind of girl she really was. She was always straining to help whenever she could. It was like she wanted to pay her way, no matter what Kaiba told her. She was welcome in his home as family. There were no dues to pay.

Kaiba leaned down and shook his little brother gently. He woke suddenly but quietly and Kaiba chuckled at him.

"Get your girl to bed. I thought you could stay up all night before crashing." He said sarcastically. Mokuba offered him a slight glare but it faded into a smirk.

"Well, Seto, when you're older and mature enough to have a girlfriend, you'll learn that partying is fun, but not as wholesome as laying down with the girl you love... or guy... no one's judging you." Kaiba gently slapped the back of his brother's head before moving to turn off the television. He could hear Chelsea begin to stir as Mokuba woke her. He left them to their privacy as his mind flushed back to his caller.

He wanted to hear from her. He wanted to know she was alright. He needed to know. That Friday he did the same thing as every Friday. He stopped by the small spring and left his gift. He spent more time there than he had to, but something about being in the same space that she cared so deeply for made him felt closer to her. He hoped she would be there this time. He needed to know she was alright, even if she wasn't saying it herself. This was her refuge. Her heaven. If she couldn't talk out her issues... couldn't relax in a place she felt safe... He didn't want to think about it. He left again, taking one last glance back at the gift he left on the large rock before returning to his life.

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><p>The internship at the hospital was difficult and she found that without a passion for it, it was just something more she dreaded going to in the week. The weekends were the worst though. She worked from nine in the morning to ten at night. If she was late she would get in trouble. She had no time to herself anymore. Her routine was set and they didn't care that she was losing it. She needed out. She needed to get out as soon as she could, but there was no window for her to escape. They had made sure of that.<p>

Her walk home was the only bit of peace she actually had and it was too short sometimes. When she entered her house, the first thing that greeted her was a crashing noise. She ran to her room, but had to dodge as a book flew past her. Everything was trashed. Her clothes strewn across the floor, her books ripped to pieces, her bed tossed aside as if it were nothing. In the middle of it all, her father knelt, continuing to destroy everything that was hers.

"What... what..." She couldn't squeeze out any more. She had already gone too far. She had gotten his attention.

"What the fuck is this?" He asked nearly throwing something in her face. He held the thing up so close that she actually had to take a step back to see it. Her bracelet dangled in front of her as her breath caught in her throat. "What strength do you possibly think you'll acquire? You haven't overcome anything. And this... this is pure silver. Where did you steal this from?" He asked angrily.

"I didn't steal it!" She tried, backing away from him into the hall.

"Well you sure as hell didn't buy it!" He paused. It wasn't the yelling that scared her. It was the silence. The silence he was waiting for her to fill. Everything... every little thing in her life depended on the words she spoke next, but suddenly she didn't care anymore. She knew what was going to happen, no matter what she said. She knew what she was going to do after. She had to escape, and there was only one way out. Her mind was set, so there was no use denying it anymore.

"It was a gift. A gift from a boy. I love him." She looked her father dead in the eye as his fingers trembled around the bracelet. In a swift motion he ripped the thing in two and threw it down, stomping on it and crushing it into uselessness. Watching her most treasured thing destroyed before her eyes broke something inside her. She might know what was coming, but it didn't mean she had to take it. He reached for her but she dodged, running towards the door. She almost made it too. He grabbed a fist full of her hair and yanked her back against him.

"What has gotten into you?" he asked with a laugh. "Whatever it is, I kind of like it... just this once though." he ran his hands down her and she struggled harder. He yanked her hair up, straightening her as he ripped up her shirt. One of her hands shot up to his, holding the hair above her as the other tried to pull back down her shirt. It didn't matter. His hand had snaked in already. He squeezed and stroked her in ways that made her sick.

Barely a moment passed before he traveled southward, skimming under the edge of her pants. Her leg jerked backwards, slamming on his foot and he yelped, startled at the sudden pain. She used the opportunity to elbow him in the chest, then turn and punch toward his face, but by that point he had regained his composure.

"This, I can do without." He said, slamming her against the wall violently. She was now facing him. He buried his face in her neck, biting savagely and making her cry out. She struggled and squirmed, but her arms and legs were failing. She wasn't used to fighting back. She had stopped so many years ago. A sob escaped her lips. Another thing she wasn't used to doing. She never showed him how she felt. Never gave him the satisfaction, but today... she couldn't do it today. Her eyes wandered down to the broken bracelet and she felt something die inside her.

She was stuck in this horrible place. No one could hear her. No one could help her.

She squeezed her eyes shut and thought of the voice that had helped her through all of it. It was then she wished she had known him. She wished she had seen one person, actually seen one person who wouldn't hurt her like this. Who just wouldn't hurt her. Just one...

The time ticked by until he was finally done. He usually only took her for about an hour, but that day her struggles gave him some sort of sick inspiration. Her entire body felt weak as she was called to start dinner. That was her life. He took her when he wanted her and when he didn't, she was their personal slave. She tried to force herself up, but fell again, laying in a slump in her now trashed room he left her in.

"Get up. You know what you're supposed to do." her mother said, leaning against the frame of her bedroom door. She flicked her cigarette onto the carpet and sneered at the girl on the floor.

"Mom... I... I cant... move..." She tried, all her years of putting on a strong face fading as she tried to see some sort of light in her situation. Her mother moved over her and glared down at her.

"You... are disgusting." She said, flicking the still burning cigarette onto her face. "he doesn't touch me." she said, kicking her over onto her back so she could look up at her better. "He doesn't look at me... and for what? You? You're nothing compared to me. I do everything for him. I am everything for him. You're nothing. Just a whore." She said, spitting down on her daughter. "Now get up and start dinner. The least you could do is be useful." She said turning towards the hall and moving to her own room.

It took a full fifteen minutes before she could even stand, then another ten before she could walk. She moved around the kitchen, watching warily as her father sat just twenty feet away in the other room. She glanced in every time she passed the doorway until finally his head lolled forward and he fell asleep. She moved to the door, grabbing something off the counter and her coat quietly and closing the door gently behind her.

She started for the tracks, but stopped only a few houses down, a thought coming to mind. She turned on the spot and headed down to the small convenience store around the corner. Browsing the isles she picked up a few things and placed them on the counter. The man looked at her for a moment and shrugged.

"That's forty four oh three." He said putting all of the items in a bag for her. She reached into her pocket, pulling out the wallet she had stolen from her father before she left and paid him. Once outside she didn't want to wait. She sifted through the bag, opening the razors she bought and cut open the packaging around the pay to talk phone she had purchased. She walked as it had her program it, keeping an eye on the time the whole walk back. Once the phone was ready to use, she dialed him. It was just past four but she hoped he was still there.

Her breathing almost stopped as she waited for his answer. It rang and rang, but nothing happened. She called again, desperate to hear him, but still no reply. She tried three more times, all in vain. It was quarter past and he had left. She was alone. In the end, she was alone. She pulled the phone away from her ear and smiled. Of course it would end this way. She had her time. She had her place. She was destined to be alone. She glanced down at the phone to check the time while walking.

Her feet stopped, refusing to move as she realized the timer was still ticking. Then she heard him.

"Hello? Is that alright?" He asked again. She nearly dropped it while trying to get it to her ear.

"Yes it is." She said into the phone, choosing not to answer the second question right away this time. He paused and she wondered if he recognized her.

"Are you in danger?" The question finally came.

"I... I want to know who you are. I've changed my mind. I want to know..." She said into the phone while fingering the damaged bracelet in her pocket. She picked up pace, now at ease talking to him.

"Excuse me?" he asked. So he didn't recognize her. It didn't matter.

"I... I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't call you. I'm sorry I couldn't go to my secret place. I couldn't do anything." She said, hanging her head as she moved.

"Secret pla... you... you're ok?" He sounded excited to hear her and she smiled.

"I'm here." she said into the phone. 'but not much longer' she thought to herself.

"It's been a long time. Have you been alright?" He asked sounding worried and pensive. She smiled again. He made her feel like someone worth caring about. At least, until the talk was over.

"No. But that's over now. I'm good now." She said happily. She was truly happy. She actually felt at peace with her decision. It was nice having some control over her own life. Even if it was to end it.

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><p>"So you can start calling again?" He asked. He hadn't realized he moved to the edge of his seat and was currently tapping his pen again.<p>

"Um... no. Actually. I think you really helped me. I've figured out my problems. I know what I need to do to fix them now. I just wanted to thank you. You showed me that there are people who really do care. It's what I needed. You're what I needed. But now I don't need you anymore. I don't need anything." He had been fine before the last sentence. Those last four words stopped his blood from flowing.

"Wait... what do you mean-"

"I love you." The words were quiet but he heard them, then nothing at all. The line went dead and he panicked. She was going to kill herself. He knew it. He knew it and she had already hung up.

"Mr. Kaiba, I just read the alert on the prompter. We're working to track the call now and we're going to call it in." His supervisor said, rushing to his side. It was good that they were moving, but he knew it wouldn't be fast enough. His fingers raced over the keyboard as he tried to breath deeply and calm himself. "What... what are you doing?" His supervisor said looking down at him.

"I'm trying to stop her." He said moving as fast as he could which would still allow him a high accuracy.

"You cant do that, those files are confidential. You're breaking the university's rules."

"Screw the rules, she needs help." He said, pushing her away as she tried to stop him. He traced the call and sent the coordinates to his phone before standing and moving to his car.

"You'll be expelled!" She called out after him, but he was already gone. He didn't care. She was going to die if he waited for them. He raced out following the directions on his gps until he came to a set of train tracks. He jumped out of the car, knowing exactly where to go from that point. He had to make it to her. He just had to.

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**Read, Review, Enjoy~Love~**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

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Thoughts stopped as he whipped her around. Right there on the tracks he turned her to face him and his breathing stopped.

"...Naomi?" He said as he looked the hazel eyed girl in the face.

"S-Seto Kaiba?" She asked, baffled. "What... what are you doing here?" She had no clue he knew who she was. He couldn't blame her for not making the connection. Who would have thought... but that didn't matter. His eyes raced to the bag she held and he ripped it from her. The cheap cell phone, a pen, some paper and some razors sat at the bottom, but he flung the entire thing away.

"You cant do this Naomi. Whatever you're going through, whatever you don't think you can handle... you can. You can do it all. Please don't do this." he said holding her out.

"I... I... wait... you... it was you... it was you all along! You were my counselor. My... my... I cant... I wont. I'm not going to do it anymore." She pulled away but he refused to let her go. He held onto her as if the mere act would make her change her mind.

"Hey! That's no way to look at this. I have you." He said pulling her closer. "that means nothing else can touch you." Her eyes watered and he glanced over his shoulder. He could see the path to the spring clearly and guided her towards it. " What happened?" He asked after seating her in her favorite spot. She shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut, but he pressed on. "I'm here now and I'm not leaving you like this. Tell me so I can fix it." her eyes met his and he felt his heart break.

"Nothing can fix me... I'm... I'm disgusting." His eyes hardened a bit as he stopped himself from reaching over and stroking her face.

"You... are breathtaking." He said in a whisper. "Naomi, I already know you. Now I know you inside and out. I cant imagine someone thinking that. Not about you." this time he couldn't stop himself. He brushed her hair from her eyes and lightly skirted across her skin with his fingertips. He wasn't expecting her to jerk away so violently, flinching from his touch as if he had struck her. It destroyed him to see it. "Naomi. I will never hurt you. You can trust me. You know you can trust me. I'll help you through this." she sniffled, straightening herself and pulling something out of her pocket. For a moment, he was afraid she had a weapon, but he saw after a moment that it was the bracelet he had had made for her, or at least, it once was.

"I'm not strong enough to overcome anything." She said placing the damaged thing down beside her.

"Maybe not alone." He replied, reaching for something inside his coat. He pulled out another blue box and opened it for her. It was a matching silver necklace to the once beautiful bracelet. It had a single pendant that twisted from the rest of the silver chain into two beautiful sapphires cushioned by tiny diamonds. He flipped the pendant and showed her the inscription he had put there for her.

"You... are loved." She read out loud. Her voice cracked and she trembled as he put it on her. It was a simple phrase. One almost overused in jewelery, but just having it... she felt... she knew it was real.

"You are loved." He repeated for emphasis. She started to slowly rise, and he with her, but her legs buckled and finally gave out on her completely. She fell next to him, but he was there to catch her. He was always there to catch her. He would always be there to catch her. He held on to her tightly and helped her down safely. "what... what did they do to you?" Her hands trembled as the tangled themselves in his famous coat and she pulled him closer.

"he... he...and then she..." they hurt so much. Just the words alone hurt like the worst pain, but he was there for her. He wouldn't let anything hurt her anymore. "He took me... he raped me...he always does it. Every few nights... all my life." She finally managed. His breathing caught short and she closed her eyes tight. Why would anything want to touch her after something so horrible tainted her like that? She was used. Disgusting.

"Where is he?" His voice called calmly. She glanced up at him but his eyes weren't on her. They were closed. She noticed his arms trembled next to her and she followed them down to his hands. They were balled so tightly his knuckles turned white from lack of blood. He was angry, and it was frightening. She wanted to crawl away, go somewhere he couldn't see until he was more even.

"He'll kill you." she warned, but he rose suddenly.

"He can damn well try." He started back to the tracks, but she launched herself at him, her legs only working minimally, but enough.

"Wait! Please... please don't leave me." She begged. He did stop. He turned back to her and pulled her against him and she felt safe again. "I... I don't hate him." She admitted and watched as he looked at her confusedly. "he doesn't hurt me near as much as... my mother." She could feel him tense against her again, but continued. "She hates me. She hates me because he takes me. I thought... I thought she didn't know... but a few months ago, she was there and she didn't stop him. She just watched. Like it was a show... and after... she hit me... she hit me and hurt me. I just wanted her to stop him, but she took it out on me instead."

"You're not going back." He said insistently. He didn't have to press. She didn't ever want to go back. "Come on. Let me show you how a home should feel." He said, urging her on. He walked her back to his car and drove her to her new home.

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><p>"Seto, I got a call from the school, they sounded pissed. Something about a violation of conduct?" Mokuba said moving down the stairs as Kaiba entered. "What did you do-" Mokuba finally looked up and saw his brother and the girl he was guiding. She looked up at Kaiba, now wondering what Mokuba had wondered just moments before.<p>

"I had to do something." He said glancing down at Naomi.

"Is... is this your mystery caller?" He asked, now excited. The boy still seemed to have unlimited energy.

"Wait... when you said your little... Mokuba got a girl pregnant?" She asked. Kaiba's head spun. He was used to the questions from Mokuba but the double interrogation was a little much.

"Yeah... I'm gonna have a baby... a baby boy." Kaiba's head snapped over to his little brother.

"A boy?" He asked, a smile spreading on his face. Naomi looked up at him and saw the joy he couldn't hold back. This was what family should be like. This is what a home was. Her eyes watered as she watched the two embrace. Kaiba seemed so happy and Mokuba so proud. There was no yelling. No frustrated silence. No coldness. There was love and warmth and a kind of bond that she had only dreamed of.

"So, you're the girl Seto's been all caught up on?" Mokuba asked and she glanced up at the taller Kaiba, who immediately turned away and coughed uncomfortably. He hadn't had an issue telling her how he felt at the tracks, but now, in front of his brother... Seto Kaiba wasn't exactly known for his openness.

"Caught up on?" She asked, wondering exactly what he was saying about her.

"Yeah, I don't know what you say to him but for some reason whenever he talks to you, he cant stop smiling. He actually laughed the other day. I thought he was sick or something."

"That's enough Mokuba." Kaiba commanded, still uncomfortable. Mokuba snickered and turned to his brother.

"Well, if you don't want to hear it, go away." His brother's attitude showed again as he reached for Naomi. "Come on, I'll tell you all about it." He pulled at her arm, but Kaiba moved between the two.

"You, go bother your own girl. Naomi needs rest."

"Oh, so this one's yours?" He giggled jogging away. He knew where his brother's line was, and he could practically dance on it without crossing it. Sometimes that was worse. Now that his brother was gone, he had some things to work out.

"Naomi. We need to talk." His tone scared her, but not in a threatening way. He led her to his office and sat her in a comfortable chair. He didn't sit opposite of her, on the other side of his desk. He pulled up a seat and sat in front of her, taking her hands in his. "We need to report them." He said, cutting to the point. Her eyes widened and her hands trembled.

"Wh-what do I have to do?" She was scared. Scared and panicked, but he seemed so calm. He looked down at her and smiled. He was actually smiling.

"I'll help you through it. I'm not going to leave you. I'm here for you. Always."

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><p>Kaiba paced in his office worriedly. How could they have prevented him from going? Who did they think he was? After all he had done for her... everything he had given to her, she didn't want him there? This was a life changing event and he was already worried about the outcome. He knew he shouldn't be, but, for gods sake, life hadn't exactly been kind to her.<p>

Suddenly his phone rang and he answered it almost too quickly.

"Hey big brother... there were some... problems." His brother said sounding a mix of depressed and tired. Kaiba's heart stopped.

"...The baby?" He pressed.

"It's... It's... a healthy baby boy!" He cried into the phone happily.

"God damn it Mokuba! You cant do that to me!" Kaiba said slamming something down. He looked over the stack of paperwork he had just tossed and sighed. "What are you naming him?"

"Kenji." Mokuba said fondly.

"After dad... How's Chelsea?" Mokuba was silent for a little, and Kaiba's anxiety returned.

"She... there actually were some problems. She wouldn't stop bleeding. They rushed her into surgery. Naomi's with her now." Kaiba waited for a moment, but Mokuba had nothing to add.

"Do you want me to come down there?" He asked, hoping the answer was yes.

"...I... yea... I need you here big brother." Mokuba said, giving him the answer he wanted. He grabbed his briefcase and left without another word. He was going to see his brother. His brother and his nephew.

The car ride passed quickly, but not quite quickly enough for him. He didn't wait for the driver to open the door for him, and rushed into the hospital. Mokuba wasn't in the lobby so Kaiba asked around until he found them. The nurse led him to the room and once he was inside the first thing he saw was Naomi.

"Seto." She greeted him, hugging him. They had grown so close now that she was free and living with him. She was still flinchy with other people, but with him she was completely at ease and he loved it. "Chelsea's fine. She had some clotting issues, but we were able to stop the bleeding. Here." She said , moving aside so he could enter fully. There he saw them. Mokuba standing over her, and Chelsea with the little blue bundle in her arms. For the first time in a long time, he felt his family was complete.

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**I enjoyed writing this story. I am getting used to making OCs, this being my second in a story that's been put up. I hope you all enjoyed this fic. Let me know what you think. don't forget to review with final comments.**

**Read, Review, Enjoy~Love ya!**


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